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The objective of this project is to expand the coverage of the Hogar Amparo Quin of the Fundación Proyecto Unión to provide emotional and therapeutic assistance to children with mental and cognitive disabilities, as well as illnesses that require special care, in order to improve their quality of life. This will be achieved by guaranteeing a safe and welcoming environment that promotes the comprehensive well-being of each child and fosters equitable development within the community.
Within the fourth phase of construction currently underway at the Hogar Amparo Quin, the project aims to provide six rooms with 21 special hospital beds for children with reduced mobility. It also seeks to acquire therapeutic materials, which will be used in rehabilitation techniques to help improve the motor and sensory abilities of the children based on their specific pathology and individualized therapy program. An integrated approach will be applied in the therapies. Additionally, the project involves the purchase of an industrial washing machine, which will complement the capacity of the three current domestic washing machines. The population served will increase by 40 children, representing a 40% increase in the total number of items to be washed.
The project will address these needs through the purchase of 21 beds that feature adjustable backrests to prevent aspiration and suffocation, facilitate changing position every two hours to prevent bedsores and skin lesions, and have railings to minimize the risk of falls. The beds also have height adjustments to facilitate therapeutic processes and assistance by caregivers in daily activities. The therapeutic materials will include therapeutic plasticine to strengthen fine motor skills, sensory balls that improve muscle tone and promote balance, weights that activate proprioception and enhance muscle strength, and kinesiology tapes that aid neuromuscular activation and optimize musculoskeletal function. The purchase of the industrial washing machine will allow the Hogar Amparo Quin to meet the laundry needs of the additional 40 children, as each of the current washing machines handles 750 sheets, 1,000 blankets, 1,000 clothing items, and 375 towels per week, while the industrial washing machine can process 975 sheets, 1,300 blankets, 1,300 clothing items, and 490 towels weekly.
The direct beneficiaries of the project include 188 children, divided between the Hogar Amparo Quin and the Life and Day Care Program. The Hogar Amparo Quin houses 100 children who have been abandoned by their families and are under the protection of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF). These children have various pathologies, with cerebral palsy being the most common, affecting 60% of cases. Additionally, 20% of the children have been diagnosed with autism, 10% with developmental delays, and the remaining 10% suffer from other conditions. The Life and Day Care Program serves 88 children who attend the home only during the day and live with their families. These children have various conditions, including cerebral palsy (27%), autism (20%), and moderate cognitive disabilities (6%). Some also suffer from imperfect ontogenesis (6%), Down syndrome (4%), and other conditions that make up the remaining 37%.
Indirect beneficiaries include 134 family members of the children who attend the Hogar Amparo Quin, and 580 students who do internships at the home as part of their academic training for managing diseases requiring special care. The socioeconomic profile of the families served by the program shows high levels of vulnerability: 26% live in extreme poverty, 23% have low educational levels, and 20% face unemployment. Additionally, 10% are single mothers, 8% are migrants, and a similar percentage is in situations of forced displacement. There is also a 3% rate of teenage pregnancies and 2% of orphanhood.
The sustainability of the project is guaranteed through the agreement that the Fundación Proyecto Unión has had with the ICBF since 2010, which ensures comprehensive care for children, adolescents, and adults with mental disabilities and special illnesses throughout the year. To work with the ICBF, the foundation must meet infrastructure, equipment, food service requirements, and have qualified staff, including caregivers, nurses, and an interdisciplinary team. Fifty-three percent of the beneficiaries are abandoned children under the protection of the ICBF, in the administrative process of rights. It is crucial to implement the PYC Implementation and Qualification Proposal, which must detail individualized care for beneficiaries in areas such as psychology, social work, and pedagogy, along with legal documentation and fiscal commitments. According to the ICBF Operating Manual, three monitoring tools are required for each user: an initial evaluation five days after admission, an integrative evaluation one month after arrival, and a case plan one month after admission, with follow-up on the case plan every month.
The Fundación Proyecto Unión has a community committed to the implementation and continuity of its projects, which includes beneficiaries, professionals from various fields, care staff, families, student interns, and administrative staff. The psychosocial team consists of two social workers, one psychologist, two educators, one workshop facilitator, one physiotherapist, one head nurse, and 15 assistants. With the expansion of the fourth phase, the staff will increase as needed. There is also a person responsible for maintaining medical equipment, with preventive maintenance every three months and partnerships with specialized companies for unforeseen events. Volunteers, ranging from children as young as five years old to older adults, contribute to the project, with an average of five doctors and five educators volunteering each year. The Foundation collaborates with academic institutions such as the Universidad de La Sabana and UNIMINUTO, allowing approximately 580 students to do internships in areas like physiotherapy and medicine each year, accompanied by 10 teachers monthly. These alliances facilitate the care of the beneficiary population thanks to the joint work of students and faculty members.
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